Are you dreaming of real rest? Do you want to calm down, change your surroundings, and at the same time see something new and visit some intriguing places? Then decide for a weekend or a holiday in the mountains. The Giant Mountains have a lot to offer. In this region, interesting even because it has been influenced by different cultures for centuries, you will find wonderful works created by the hands of Mother Nature, mysterious castles and rich palaces, interesting museums and numerous attractions for the youngest guests.
Karpacz tourist attractions
Located at the foot of Śnieżka, Karpacz is one of the most visited cities in Poland. Tourists like this place because of the wealth of attractions it has to offer. Śnieżka, the highest peak of the Karkonosze and Sudetes, located at an altitude of 1603 m above sea level, is the most famous and recognizable "brand" of Karpacz. However, it is not only for her that tourists flock to Karpacz and its surroundings.
Other interesting places worth seeing or visiting in Karpacz are certainly the unique 12th-century wooden Wang Temple from distant Scandinavia, the Wild Waterfall in Łomnica, the gravitational anomaly point on Strazacka Street, the Museum of Sports and Tourism, Raven Rocks and the Karpatka Hill.
In Karpacz, we will find a very rich accommodation base - from large chain hotels, through medium-sized guesthouses and hotels, to charming, small hotels and agritourism. Accommodation for every budget is an undoubted plus of this mountain resort.
In the city, of course, everyone will find a large selection of restaurants, bars and charming pubs, and in some of them you can count on trying interesting dishes of the Karkonosze regional cuisine.
It is not a coincidence that Karpacz in the last season has surpassed even the undisputed "king" of mass tourism - the capital of the Polish Tatra Mountains, Zakopane.
Tourist attractions Sosnowka
Sosnówka is a historic holiday village beautifully situated at the foot of the Karkonosze Mountains, on the lagoon of the same name. It is surrounded by three peaks: Kazalnica, Skiba and Grabowiec. It is adjacent to Karpacz, Podgórzyn and Przesieka.
The biggest tourist attractions of Sosnówka are undoubtedly the Chapel of St. Anna and the Miraculous Spring gushing at its foot and the altar of St. Anna Samotrzecia in the Church of St. Marcin, recognized as a monument of the zero class.
Within a short walk from the center of the village there is a rock called Frying Pan, the ruins of Prince Henry's Castle and, of course, the reservoir Sosnówka. From Sosnówka, you can walk to the Podgórna Waterfall in Przesieka, Karpacz, Jelenia Góra or Staniszów. Other attractions that Sosnówka can offer tourists are the interesting architecture of historic recreational facilities as well as local cuisine and culinary crafts, which can be found, for example, in Dwór Korona Karkonoszy, one of the local leisure and event centers.
Karpacz - attractions for children
In Kowary, located near Karpacz, there is the Miniature Park of Lower Silesia Monuments. It is a very interesting place, not only for children, because adults are usually happy to "visit" the most interesting buildings of the region in this way. You can see here not only the famous palaces of the Jelenia Góra Valley, but also miniature reproductions of many other unique buildings, also from the neighboring Czech Republic and Germany. The largest mock-up has an area of 28 m2, and the smallest only 4 m2.
Another place willingly visited by the youngest guests of Karpacz is Park Fairytales. Among the forest paths there are hidden huts, each of which comes from a different fairy tale - you can meet Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella or the Snow Queen there, sitting in their residences.
An interactive meeting with LEGO bricks is offered by the Private Museum of Technology and Buildings made of LEGO bricks. We will find 10 chambers in it, each with a different theme. The most interesting are Star Wars, Pirates of the Caribbean, Harry Potter and Technic.
The Toy Museum (private collection of Henryk Tomaszewski, the founder of Pantomima Wrocławska) is interesting not only for children - adults have the opportunity to recall dolls, blocks or games from their childhood there. The oldest exhibits are about 200 years old! We will also find there amazing dolls from distant cultures - Japanese, Australian or Mexican.
Slightly older children will surely be fascinated by the Museum of Sport and Tourism. The exhibition is devoted to the genesis of tourism, the development of winter sports and nature conservation. On the other hand, Mysteries of the Karkonosze Mountains, i.e. the Interactive Kingdom of the Mountain Spirit, will fascinate both the young and the old. We will learn about local legends, messages and myths, including those about the Spirit of the Mountains, i.e. the ruler of the Karkonosze Mountains.
It is also definitely worth visiting the World of Queues, i.e. the exhibition of railway mock-ups. It is a real treat for fans of rail vehicles. In addition, thanks to VR goggles, you can move into the world of virtual reality and ride an extreme roller coaster! So you can see that attractions for children - Karpacz has really interesting.
Karpacz - tourist attractions
The Giant Mountains have something magical about them. Numerous valleys, rapid streams, peaks with a varied sculpture, with Śnieżka at the forefront ... All this makes the Karkonosze Mountains attract many tourists every year from the most remote corners of the country, and often also from abroad.
In Karpacz itself, apart from well-known attractions such as Śnieżka, the Wang temple or the dam on Łomnica, there are also less obvious, but equally interesting places. For example, the art installation Nietelefoniczna Booth. In the revitalized telephone booth, we will learn many interesting stories, if only we decide to pick up the phone. In addition, presented by the Spirit of the Mountains himself, because he is on duty on the other side of the phone.
Another interesting place on the tourist map of Karpacz is the Glass Gallery, where several thousand products made of this fragile material from all over the world are collected. This collection includes, among others, a unique collection of uranium and crystal glass. In turn, couples in love may want to visit their happy place, i.e. the Love Wheel. According to the legend, there used to be a real mill in this place. The water that fed it had magical properties. Whoever drank it reciprocated the love. The miller's daughter, who fell in love unrequitedly with the Karkonosze Mountains themselves, i.e. the Spirit of the Mountains, decided to take advantage of this fact and drink him with magical water. The legend is silent, however, with what effect... However, as the folk tale says: "only here the mill wheel turned grain into flour and changed people's fate, and made the miller's daughter - the princess equal to the princess", so even if not in this case, probably in many others allowed to marry a loved one regardless of social differences.
Attractions - Karpacz and its surroundings
Why are we going to the mountains? To walk on them! Hiking along mountain trails is probably one of the most pleasant forms of gymnastics. Karpacz is an ideal starting point for Pilgrims and Słonecznik, i.e. characteristic monadnocks created as a result of erosion. These rock formations, interesting because of their fanciful shapes, have been formed for millions of years. And now they attract tourists from afar with their amazing view.
Pilgrims are three rock groups with a height of up to 25 meters. In turn, the lower Sunflower fascinates with the image of a man on a rock. On the occasion of a trip to these places, it is worth visiting the iconic Karkonosze shelter, i.e. Samotnia. It is one of the oldest shelters in the country, located in the picturesque basin of Kotła Małego Stawu. There really is something to look at!
What to visit in Karpacz?
When asked what to visit in Karpacz, there can be only one answer - everything! Karpacz and its surroundings have a lot to offer tourists, both in terms of nature and interesting buildings, museums and entertainment.
So - what to visit in Karpacz? Maybe it's worth going out of town as well? Once you have seen all the places worth visiting in Karpacz itself, it is worth getting in the car and driving 40 minutes to the Bolków Castle or to Szklarska Poręba. Only 10 minutes more would take you to the magical Colorful Lakelets near Marciszów. And within an hour's drive we have the famous Czocha Castle and the even more famous Książ Castle, the historic Lwówek Śląski or the Rock Town of Adršpach in the Czech Republic. There is no time to be bored!
Attractions of Karpacz - what else?
The Giant Mountains, as the name in English or German of the Karkonosze Mountains, perfectly reflects all their majesty and raw beauty. Karpacz is a great starting point if you dream of hiking along mountain trails. You can choose longer, full-day hikes, or stick to shorter routes, also offering unforgettable views and great experiences. Thanks to your stay in Karpacz, you can easily and pleasantly climb Śnieżka, the highest peak in the Karkonosze Mountains. How to do it? It is enough to get by car or bus to the Czech town of Pec pod Sněžkou. From there, you can either take the cable car directly to Śnieżka, or take an approximately 3-hour walk to the top. The views from Śnieżka will reward us for all the hardships!
Sosnowka – what is worth seeing?
Chapel of St. Anny, the 12th-century rotunda built on the western slope of Grabowiec in the place of pagan beliefs (one of the forest paths is even called the Witches' Path!) attracts tourists from all over Poland and beyond. The phenomenal panorama of the mountains is not the only advantage of this place. Another is the spring of happiness, also called the spring of love. Legend has it that in order to live a happy life with a loved one, it is enough to run 7 times around the chapel, to the left, with water from this spring in your mouth. Many couples take advantage of this opportunity, and then, guided by sentiment, return from time to time to the vicinity of Sosnówka. On the occasion of performing "magic" you can enjoy the wonderful view of the Jeleniogórska Valley.
To see the picturesque ruins of Prince Henry's Castle, it is enough to take a short walk from Sosnówka. This hunting lodge from the 19th century is located on the Grodno mountain, the highest peak of the Lomnické hills. It offers unforgettable views and the opportunity to admire beautiful rock formations.
Attractions Sosnowka
Sosnówka near Karpacz is a historic holiday resort located at the foot of the Karkonosze Mountains on the lagoon of the same name. It lies just a few kilometers from Karpacz, but it is not as well known and popular as Karpacz. Paradoxically, this is its great advantage! The lack of an endless crowd of tourists allows you to enjoy the view of the peaks and the atmosphere of the historic mountain resort.
In Sosnówka nothing will hide the beautiful mountain panoramas. You can really feel the atmosphere of the Karkonosze Mountains, especially since the buildings have remained almost unchanged since the first builders erected the houses. Of course, over the years the town has grown and the old buildings have been given modern amenities. However, they have not lost anything of their charm.
Sośniak, a mountain stream meanders through the entire village to finally feed the Sosnówka reservoir. In addition to the mountains and the lagoon, there are also other attractions, such as the altar in the Church of St. Martin, the ruins of Prince Henry's Castle or the Happy Spring at the Chapel of St. Anna.
Sosnówka - nearby tourist attractions
What tourist attractions does Sosnowka offer? Apart from the most obvious ones, i.e. the Chapel of St. Anna with the Source of Love, the ruins of Prince Henry's Castle or historic churches, villas and boarding houses, it is worth taking a trip to the nearby medieval Chojnik Castle. A visit there can be quite an attraction. According to the legend, it was inhabited by Princess Kunegunda, who subjected candidates to her hand to severe trials. If someone failed the test, they ended their lives in a deep abyss! The fortress was never rebuilt after a fire in the 18th century, but the ruins are truly picturesque. In addition, from Chojnik you can see a wonderful panorama of the Karkonosze Mountains and the surrounding area. The advantage of such a trip is also the fact that you can choose the right level of difficulty for each tourist. You can climb Chojnik either by a fairly steep trail or a very gentle walking path.
Not far from Sosnówka, there is also the Garden and the Palace in Bukowiec. This place, called the Silesian Arcadia, is part of the Valley of Palaces and Gardens. The picturesque park is the perfect backdrop for commemorative photos.
